Legal documents & process to start a pharmacy in India
A pharmacy is a regulated business — you cannot sell medicines without a drug licence. The good news is the path is well-defined: meet the space and pharmacist requirements, gather your documents, apply online, and pass the inspection.
The licence you need
Retail pharmacies operate under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Form 20 is the retail authorisation to sell prescription medicines not listed in Schedules C, C(1) or X, and Form 21 covers Schedule C and C(1) products such as vaccines, sera and insulin. The application form is Form 19, submitted to the State Drug Control Department, with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) providing national oversight.
The two hard requirements
- Registered pharmacist: a pharmacist registered with the State Pharmacy Council (D.Pharm or B.Pharm) must be present during operating hours for a retail pharmacy. In India a registered pharmacist is uniquely linked to a single pharmacy licence.
- Space & storage: a retail pharmacy must occupy at least 10 square metres, and medicines like vaccines and insulin must be kept in a refrigerator — so a working fridge/AC is essential. If you run both retail and wholesale from one premises, the minimum is 15 square metres.
Documents you'll typically need
- Applicant ID & address proof (Aadhaar, PAN).
- Pharmacist's State Pharmacy Council registration, degree, appointment letter and affidavit.
- Premises proof — ownership/sale deed or registered rent agreement.
- Layout/blueprint of the premises showing storage and dispensing areas.
- Refrigeration details, GST registration, and business registration (if a company/partnership).
- FSSAI registration if you'll also sell health drinks, supplements or baby food.
Fees & timeline
Government fees are modest — roughly ₹1,500–₹3,500 for a retail licence depending on the state — though professional help adds to the cost. After you submit, an inspection is typically scheduled within about 15 working days, where the inspector checks the space, refrigeration and pharmacist credentials. Common rejection reasons: inadequate carpet area, a pharmacist already tied to another firm, or no working refrigerator during inspection.
MedisuperiorHow Medisuperior solves this- Once licensed, Medisuperior gives you audit-ready records — batch, expiry, purchase and sale — that the law expects you to keep.
- Expiry and stock alerts protect your margin from day one.
- Owner-approval controls on bills and vendors keep the licence-holder in command.
- POS billing built for a registered medical store, on web and mobile.
Sources: Drugs & Cosmetics Act guidance and state drug-control procedures, 2025–2026. Verify with your State Drug Control Authority.